


Justice's Confidant

by Avistella



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-05-29 12:09:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15072851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: I amthou, thou art I...Thou hast acquired anewvow.It shallbecomethe wings of justicethatbreakeththy chains of cruelty.Goro Akechi forms a new bond with a transfer student from Gekkoukan High. The more time he spends with her, the more that bond deepens, but will it be enough to save him from his fate?





	1. Chapter 1

Akechi walks inside the school gate, a pleasant smile making its way to his lips when some of his fans stop him in his tracks to strike up a conversation with him. It's a regular occurence whenever he attends school if his work permits, and to be frank, it's become a bit of a nuisance to him, but he has to keep up appearances. He grins and bears with it for the meantime, but these half-hearted interactions can get rather exhausting, so he politely excuses himself by saying that he needs to get to class and ignores the chorus of whines of protest from behind him.

As the young man approaches the entrance of the building, he spots somebody in the corner of his eyes. It's a young woman with pale brown hair, her slender frame leaning against the trunk of a tree as her eyes scan through the contents of the novel in her hand. It's a face that Akechi has never seen before (not that he makes it a habit to memorize his peer's faces anyways), but the young woman has a certain air around her that makes her stick out from the rest of the students.

Akechi notices a pair of male students standing nearby, both of them being not so discreet as they stare at the woman who happened to catch the high school detective's attention as well. The two students nudge each other with their arms, and they talk loud enough for Akechi to hear their conversation.

"Dude, go talk to her," one of them says, and the other guy shakes his head.

"No way! She's like, _way_ out of my league. I heard that back in Gekkoukan High, some people called her the 'Cool Beauty'. It totally fits her!"

Akechi inwardly sighs to himself, not particularly interested in some supposed transfer student from another school. Before he can proceed to get to class before the bell rings, the young man is stopped by his fans once more, these ones being much more enthusiastic and persistent than the previous ones. Akechi glances off to the side as the one-sided conversation of fawning andadmiration continues, hoping to hide the annoyance that threatens to cross over his face, and his eyes happen to make contact with the female transfer student's.

The commotion had prompted her to look up from her book, but after staring at Akechi for a brief second or two with an uninterested look, she directs her attention back to what she's reading. Judging from her reaction, she either doesn't know Akechi or cares little for his popularity, and it's a bit refreshing to not have to deal with such superficialities for once, as hurtful as it might be to his own pride to not be recognized for his efforts. In any case, she doesn't really matter, and Akechi tries to get through the day without trouble.

* * *

The afternoon rain isn't letting up at all as the high school detective leaves the building once classes are over for the day. His umbrella helps keep both him and his belongings dry from the downpour, and as he moves to leave the gates so that he can relax at home with no pretenses, he happens to see the same young woman from that morning. She stands there in the open, no umbrella in sight as she allows herself to become drenched in the rain, and it almost looks like she's enjoying herself with the way her body casually sways while standing there.

The other students swerve around her while giving sideglances and whispering amongst one another, generally avoiding her due to this strange behaviour, and Akechi briefly wonders if she's lonely being like that. It doesn't seem to bother her though. The falling rain gives her a sense of mystique as she tilts her head back to let the water droplets shower over her face, and before Akechi can even think about what he's doing, his legs are already walking over to his fellow student. As the upcoming Detective Prince, it's important for him to appear like a pleasant young man to offer his aid to others.

Akechi holds his umbrella out to protect the woman from the rain, but he has to step a bit closer to her than he'd like so that he doesn't get wet as well. Realizing that the rain has stopped falling on her, the transfer student opens her eyes and directs her gaze towards the owner of the umbrella. Akechi stares back at deep blue eyes, and he notices the small droplets that remain on her long eyelashes that she peers up from. The young woman blinks slowly, almost lazily as she tilts her head to the side in curiosity.

"You're the guy from this morning," she comments in realization, and the high school detective is surprised to find that she has a warm and gentle tone akin to that of a loving mother, as strange of a comparison as it might be for him to make. He had expected a much sharper kind of voice from her.

The young man smiles his same rehearsed smile. "I'm Goro Akechi."

"Atsuko," the transfer student introduces herself in a simple manner, her face remaining neutral. "Atsuko Yukimura."

"It probably isn't a good idea for you to just stand in the rain like this, Yukimura-san. You might end up getting sick," Akechi brings up, speaking in his usual formal and distanced manner. It isn't that he particularly cares about Atsuko's health—she is a stranger, after all—but this interaction might be a good display of charisma and kindness for others to see and think highly of him for. All of this is calculated so that whoever passes by will have a better and more accepting opinion of him.

"I like the rain," Atsuko responds, the simple statement of fact acting like an explanation or argument as to why she chooses to act like this. Something tells Akechi that this isn't the first time she's had a conversation like this.

The young man blinks in surprise. "O-Oh, I see."

"Nevertheless, I thank you for your kind consideration." Atsuko offers her words of gratitude before taking a step back into the rain and giving a formal bow to show her appreciation.

Akechi is left feeling slightly flustered at how this situation didn't exactly play out as he had anticipated, but he's quick to recover himself. He clears his throat with an awkward cough and decides to say his farewells before turning on his heel to start heading back home. As he walks away, the detective can feel Atsuko's eyes on his back, and he has to consciously stop himself from looking back. She's a strange woman and is one he doesn't think he'll be getting close to any time soon due to being on two completely different pages.


	2. Chapter 2

For someone he never expected to see again, Akechi is surprised to have bumped into Atsuko again so soon at the subway after their first meeting. It's early morning, and he arrives at the boarding platform with a somewhat dazed look from lack of sleep when he sees the same school uniform as him, and the student is none other than Atsuko herself, again with a certain aura around her that makes her stick out from the rest of the crowd.

She seems to be lost in her own little world, her eyes focused on the book in her hand. It shouldn't be any different from the other citizens who care little for their surroundings and only wish to get through with their day, but with Atsuko, she almost looks relaxed. There's no sense of urgency or rush with her, seemingly going at her own pace which is rare to find in this society nowadays. It's a bit strange, he has to admit, but not unwelcome.

Akechi debates with himself if he should try talking to her or not, but it looks like he takes too long with his decision because Atsuko senses somebody's gaze on her, prompting the young woman to look up from her book and turn her head towards his direction. Blue eyes lock with his, honest and unwavering, and Akechi briefly wonders to himself how someone could stare at another person they barely know like that without getting embarrassed or something similar.

A beat passes by, and Atsuko raises a hand in greeting which Akechi finds himself returning out of courtesy. The young woman doesn't do anything further and goes back to reading her book which confuses the high school detective. He really doesn't understand her or her behaviour at all, and it annoys him somewhat that he can't keep up with her. It's almost like a challenge he wishes to beat, merely to feel proud of himself.

The Detective Prince makes his way through the crowd and towards the transfer student, striking up a conversation with her. "I'm surprised to see you here at this time. Do you usually go to school this early?"

"Only on Mondays and Wednesdays," Atsuko answers as she shuts her book to give her full and undivided attention towards Akechi, and she provides no further explanation as to why she goes to school early for those two days alone. "How about you? Are you usually this early?"

"Ah, I try to avoid the rush when I can," the young man answers just as the train arrives. He makes a move to go inside and ride it along with everyone else, but he notices that Atsuko doesn't budge from her spot, and he curiously tilts his head to the side. "Aren't you getting on?"

"I don't feel like it right now," she says, taking her phone out of her pocket to look at the time. "Maybe I'll get on the next one."

A look of surprise crosses the detective's face before he lets out an amused chuckle laced with disbelief. "You...really go at your own pace, don't you?"

Unknowing if the comment is meant to be an insult or not, Atsuko quirks up an eyebrow. "Is that a bad thing?" She asks with a wary tone. Judging by her voice, the detective has no doubts that the student's been met with criticism before on her demeanour. She waits for him to answer, looking like she's ready to judge the young man based on his response.

Akechi shakes his head. "Not necessarily. It's quite refreshing to see, but I can see why others might have a problem with it."

Atsuko makes a thoughtful humming sound as the doors to the train closes and speeds off, leaving both her and Akechi alone on the platform with a couple other people who remained. "You could have gone on," she comments idly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she shifts her weight to one foot.

"Perhaps, but I seem to enjoy talking with you," the charming young man admits with his usual smile. "In any case, we're both heading to school, so we might as well go together."

Atsuko looks at the Detective Prince with a pleased expression. "Most people tell me I'm no fun to talk to, so hearing you say that makes me happy. Thank you, Akechi-san."

The two students pass the time with idle conversations, and Akechi finds himself being pulled into the same relaxed pace as Atsuko's. He feels the weight on his shoulders lighten up by the smallest fraction, but the difference is still there for him to notice. It's nice to feel so at ease for once. The formalities are definitely still there in their mannerisms around one another, but it's almost like there's no need to pretend or tipetoe around with words and whatnot. There's a reasonable amount of distance between the two that makes Akechi feel like he wouldn't mind spending more time with the transfer student and vice versa.

And so things continue like that for a while. As said before, even if Akechi leaves for school in the early morning all days of the week, he only happens to find Atsuko there on Mondays and Wednesdays for reasons he can't figure out. The two would meet up at the station platform, and they'd engage themselves in conversations. Most of the conversations they have are light and hardly worth remembering, but it's become a sort of relaxing routine.

Atsuko is blunt with her responses while continuing to use polite and formal language, and it surprises the charming detective how honest and gullible she can be. In truth, it sickens him how someone can manage to live their life like that. One would think that in this world that tramples on others, Atsuko will one day be used and tossed around by those with ill intentions, and Akechi can't stop the irritation he feels at that. She should learn soon enough that everybody in the world is a liar who only wishes to selfishly gain things from others. That's what Akechi truly believes.


	3. Chapter 3

Work has started to pick up for Akechi, and the school has been generous enough to exempt him from educational obligations. The young detective isn't sure if the faculty members just want to ride on the tailcoat of his rising popularity so that they can brag about having someone famous attending their school, but it definitely makes planning things around all the more easy to do.

It's Saturday evening, and Akechi sits down at a table of a small tea shop that can be easy to miss when walking through the streets of Shibuya. There are a lot of more well-known food chains and the like around the area, and the tea shop itself is quite small in size and lacks grandeur, so very few people visit it. It easily became one of the young detective's favourite places to go to due to the quaint atmosphere, away from societal expectations and scrutinizing eyes that judge his every move.

The young man takes out a few papers from his signature suitcase, smoothing out his hair as he glances over the contents. It's homework that he missed for the past two weeks or so, and although he knows that he won't be punished for not completing it, he still tries to make an effort to be like any normal high school student. Due to his absences, however, he finds himself having some difficulty, and he tries to tuck away the lonely thought that this might go faster for him if he had any friends to aid him.

"Would you like some help?"

Akechi looks up, and his eyes widen by a fraction when he's greeted by none other than Atsuko. It seems like fate has the two crossing paths often. He hadn't seen her when he walked in, and he was certain nobody else entered the shop after him. Seeing the surprise on his face, the young woman smiles, delicately lifting up a hand to hide her soft laughter of amusement before proceeding to answer his unasked question. "I work here throughout the week. I was in the back changing out to my usual clothes. My shift just ended."

The young man hums in acknowledgement, and Atsuko's eyes shift over to the papers on the table. "I couldn't help but notice you were having some difficulty. If it's something I can do, I would be willing to help out if you'll allow me."

Akechi rubs the back of his neck, warmth creeping up to his cheeks that he has to admit that there are some things that even the ace detective can't do, but Atsuko doesn't look like she thinks any less of him because of that. Her demeanour is the same as always, patiently waiting for his response, and the young man relents.

"Would you happen to have some notes on this subject?" He asks sheepishly as he tries to bury away the feeling of uselessness that bubbles up into his chest.

Atsuko smiles warmly, and the detective finally notices that it's something she rarely does at school. He's certain that he's only seen her smile like that around him, and it makes him feel somewhat special. Of course the act itself isn't all that special, but the fact that he's the only one that he knows of that's seen that gentle expression of Atsuko's gives him a sense that he's being acknowledged or something similar to that effect. In any case, Akechi makes a mental comment to himself that the nickname "Cool Beauty" doesn't really suit her now that he's seen how warm her eyes can become.

The transfer student sits down on the chair across from the detective, placing her bag down beside her before rummaging through its contents to take out her own notes. Akechi catches sight of some neatly folded clothing inside her bag, and it piques his curiosity. He takes a moment to glance around the quiet tea shop, and sure enough, there are two workers he finds wearing colourful kimonos. The young detective then deduces that the cloth inside Atsuko's bag must be her own kimono uniform or something like that. Now that he thinks about it, he's never really seen the transfer student wearing anything asides from her school uniform that's always prim and proper.

Both Akechi and Atsuko then get to work with the young woman helping the detective out with any questions he might have. There's an easy atmosphere around the two, and Akechi finds himself feeling quite relaxed, probably because of Atsuko's influence with her casual air as always. It feels nice, he supposes. Is this how other people his age feel whenever they spend time with their friends? But then again, Atsuko isn't really his friend; she's just an acquaintance is all.

"I see. So that's how it is." Akechi smiles in satisfaction as he answers the last question and proceeds to clean up. "Thank you, Yukimura-san. You were of great help."

Before Atsuko can respond, another person walks up to the two: a young man with dark hair, his bangs long enough to cover one of his eyes which lack any sort of warmth. Atsuko's expression immediately drops, and the atmosphere around her changes. Her shoulders become tense as she straightens her back, folding her hands neatly on her lap.

"So this is where you've been. Your shift should have been over hours ago," the young man speaks with an exasperated tone. "I can't believe you made me wait in the car for this long. Come, hurry up so that I can drop you off home already."

"I apologize," Atsuko answers obediently, her words holding a monotonous hint to them. "But I do believe I sent you a text informing you that I will be late." The young woman gathers up her things with no further argument, discreetly breathing out a quiet sigh of defeat as she stands from her seat. She directs her attention towards the detective and gives him a respectful bow. "I must take my leave. It was a pleasure, Akechi-san. You may call on me at any time if you need assistance with anything."

_I am **thou, thou art I...**_ ****  
_Thou hast acquired a **new** vow._

_It shall **become** the wings of justice_  
_that **breaketh** thy chains of cruelty._

_With the birth of the Priestess Persona,_  
_I have obtained the **winds** of blessing that_  
_shall lead to freedom and new power..._

Atsuko leaves with the impatient young man before Akechi can say farewell to her. He watches the two leave the tea shop, noting the dejected look on the female's face. He tries not to jump to conclusions, and he knows that there's no reason for him to meddle in Atsuko's personal affairs. There's no reason for him to care either. But even so, he was having quite a bit of fun before, and the abrupt end to that easygoing time leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

* * *

Akechi isn't sure if he's dreaming. This "Velvet Room", as the proprieter, Igor, calls it, is a strange place that Akechi will never get a solid grasp on. It's just as mysterious as the bizarre-looking man himself who acts as the detective's supposed guide, but in the end, it doesn't matter if Akechi understands the inner workings of the Velvet Room as long as he can use it to his advantage in furthering his own personal goals.

Igor talks to Akechi with cryptic words, mentioning something about a priestess and Arcana; Akechi isn't too sure as for some reason, his mind had drifted off towards Atsuko.

"Though she may not be of help to you in 'that world', her support may prove fruitful. The choice to deepen such a bond belongs to you alone. I look forward to seeing where your conviction leads you."


	4. Chapter 4

It's Monday morning, and it's been about ten minutes since homeroom started when the door to Akechi's classroom opens, garnering everyone's attention except for the detective himself, the young man too busy with his own thoughts to spare his time to whoever is at the door. It's just a late student anyways, so it's not like he cares, but his ears perk up in recognition when the apologizing voice ends up sounding familiar to him.

Akechi looks up from his desk and towards the door with slightly wide eyes, surprised to find Atsuko there. ...Wait, was she always in his class before? She transferred from another school, so maybe the charming detective was absent on the same day she was introduced. But even so, it's a bit baffling to him that he never realized they were in the same class. It never came up in their small conversations together, and they would always end up going their separate ways at the school gate if they ever rode the subway together due to the young man's fans coming up to him to chat at the entrance. He never really stayed behind after class either since he had no one to spend time with.

After being excused by the teacher, Atsuko moves to sit at her desk, and Akechi watches her from the corner of his eyes. It looks like she's sitting on the opposite side of the room, though he supposes it makes sense considering the seating arrangement. Nevertheless, was Akechi so distant from the rest of his peers that he never noticed the people around him? Was he so focused on being accepted by the adults of society that he completely ignored people his age that were close to him? Whatever the case, class is still in session, and the high school detective needs to remain focused on his studies and catch up on the missed work. He can't slack off in the slightest.

Lunch seemed to have taken forever to finally come, and the teacher and students all go about with their own things during this free time. Akechi lingers in his seat, turning around to find that Atsuko remained in the class as well, sitting by her lonesome with a new book in hand. She must really enjoy reading, Akechi supposes. He doesn't think he's ever seen her without a book.

As Akechi debates with himself on whether or not to initiate a conversation with the transfer student as acquaintances, he notes that her uniform which always looked to be worn with neat care is now slightly askew like it was put on in a rush. Considering that she was late for class, that possibility seems the most likely. Still, Akechi can't help but wonder why the young woman was late in the first place. She was always early on the station platform on Mondays, so something must have happened. ...Then again, it wasn't really his problem. He turns back around in his seat, still trying to decide what to do and where to go for lunch when the young man overhears a conversation from behind him.

"Hey, Atsuko. You look as charming as always," a boyish voice compliments the female, his tone light and carefree, and Akechi has to stop himself from rolling his eyes. This guy was apparently well known around the school to flirt with any and all female students.

The transfer student bites back a sigh of annoyance, her eyes never leaving the pages of the book she's reading. She had thought that by appearing to look busy reading would prevent people from striking up a conversation with her. Although her voice remains even, there's a hint of irritation that's laced in her words. "I'm sorry, but could you please not refer to me by my given name? It's uncomfortable being addressed as such by a stranger."

"Ah, but we don't have to be strangers to each other."

Atsuko's fingers twitch at the boy's implications with his attempted seductive voice, and she closes her eyes for a moment, shutting her book in the process. Just as she's about to stand up and wordlessly leave to a quieter area, a new voice speaks up from in front of her desk.

"Yukimura-san, may I speak with you for a moment about an urgent matter?"

The young woman blinks in surprise to find that Akechi is talking to her in the classroom. He never initiated conversation with her during school, and he always seemed to be lost in his own thoughts that she didn't want to bother him and thus remained quiet as well. Realizing that the detective was giving her a chance to escape her current situation, she nods her head, the chair scraping against the floor as she stands up from her seat.

"Of course," she answers promptly as she follows her fellow student who leads her out of the class and into a more secluded area. Atsuko breathes out a sigh of relief, hugging her arms as she leans against the wall. "Thank you. You saved me."

"I'm glad if I was able to be of help," Akechi responds with a sweet smile. "I simply can't stand the sight of people like that. My father—ah, no, sorry. Never mind."

For a brief second, Atsuko could have sworn that she saw anger and contempt flash behind the detective's eyes, but she decides not to prod any further, figuring that it might be a sore topic for him, so she instead changes the subject to something else. "I saw you on TV yesterday. The cameras do a really poor job at capturing the charming points about about you."

"Charming points? And what exactly would they be?" Akechi is genuinely curious to know.

The transfer student tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, a troubled look crossing over her face. "Mm, it's difficult to put into words, but you have this certain air around you. It feels... _raw_ , and there's something appealing about it."

There's an unpleasant feeling twisting in Akechi's stomach at what's supposed to be a compliment, but he maintains the smile painted on his lips. "When people think 'raw', they usually think 'something primal'. They usually turn a blind eye to things like that."

"Then I suppose it's their own loss," Atsuko answers without missing a beat. She hugs her arms across her chest once again and shifts her weight to lean on one foot. "There's beauty in complexity."

Akechi huffs out a small laugh of disbelief. "You really are strange." Realizing that his tongue had slipped and that he had spoken what's on his mind, the young man hurriedly tries to correct himself. "Ah, I don't mean that in a rude way. I mean that—"

Atsuko smiles, and the words die on Akechi's tongue. The young woman closes her eyes, seemingly satisfied. "Thank you. It's refreshing to hear these things said to my face rather than whispered behind my back every once in a while."

There's something about her words that makes the Detective Prince feel a bit at ease. Most people he's met usually dislike being told such honest things that directly, but Atsuko seems quite content to not have people tipetoe around her. It'd be nice if he can let down his walls around her and have her opinion of his true self stay the same. Nevertheless, the young man is tentative and mindful of his tone as he says, "You don't have that many friends, do you, Yukimura-san?"

Atsuko laughs behind her hand, unbothered by Akechi's observation. "Well, I _did_ recently transfer to the school," she states, her voice teasing enough that it draws a genuine chuckle from the young man, even if the sound itself is shortlived. It's kind of nice, being able to have friendly banter like this with somebody his age. Most of his conversations always seemed polite and stiff and professional around the adults he surrounds himself with.

And speak of the devil. Akechi's phone rings in his pocket, and the name displayed on the caller ID belongs to none other than the man he's working for in the shadows. There's no doubt that he has a new target for the detective, and just like that, whatever good mood Akechi was in disappears. Still, he's had enough practice in his life to not let it show on his face.

"I need to take this," he says, flashing the transfer student an apologetic look.

Atsuko nods her head in understanding. "In that case, I'll be heading back to class. I hope we can talk again; it was fun."

With a final bow, Atsuko leaves Akechi alone to answer the call. He watches her retreating figure for a moment before finding an area devoid of people so that he can focus on important matters.


	5. Chapter 5

" _You have returned to the real world._ "

Akechi ignores the voice coming from the strange app on his phone, exhaling a deep sigh as his shoulders sag with exhaustion. His target this time was simple enough to find and eliminate, but it always did drain his energy whenever he would step foot into that other world. There was something about the Metaverse that made him feel... _heavy_. Akechi wasn't sure if it was because of physical fatigue or something else weighing on his mind—perhaps something poetic like overexposure to the darkest and deepest depths of the human heart—but it was definitely an unpleasant feeling each and every single time.

The detective starts to walk away from the area while remaining inconspicuous in the crowd, taking out his phone to briefly confirm that his job was done. The man on the other line praised the high school student, sounding pleased, and Akechi took pride in it. He was glad if he could be useful to someone— _wanted_ , a voice nags at him from the back of his mind—and it would help make advancing his plans much easier.

Still, despite a job well done, Akechi is extremely tired and just wants nothing more than to rest, making a conscious effort to not drag his feet along the sidewalk while navigating his way through the other citizens. He passes by _Tealette_ , the small tea shop he's grown to enjoy spending time in. The young man checks the time and figures it won't hurt to give his legs some momentary reprieve and enjoy a quick drink.

Akechi enters the shop, barely registering the greeting offered to him by the workers before he makes his way over to a nearby available seat. Just for this moment, the student allows his wall of a proper and fine gentleman to fall down to nothing. His arms lie on the table in front of him, and he drops his head to rest on them, exhaling a deep sigh during his head's descent.

_He's so tired_. Not just because he went through the Metaverse, but because of _everything_. School, his jobs—both public and private—and his attempts to maintain his image... They're all wearing him out in more ways than one. He wants nothing more to do with them and wishes to only relax, spend time with friends like everybody else; not like he has any in the first place. But he can't grant himself that. His longing desire to be acknowledged won't allow him to slack off.

There's a gentle tap on the table Akechi is resting his head on, the sound prompting him to sit back up and straighten his back like an automatic response. His eyes first fall onto the glass of water placed in front of him before his gaze flickers over to the one who gave it to him. _Oh, that's right_. Atsuko works here; he had almost forgotten that.

The young detective takes in the details of her appearance. She's wearing a deep blue kimono, the same colour as her eyes which look at him with sympathy. The fabric is decorated with a modest floral print, and Akechi finds that it suits her rather nicely.

"You looked really tired," Atsuko says, bringing her voice to become more gentle than usual. "I wasn't sure what drink you would like, so I opted for simply water. I hope that's okay."

"...Thank you," Akechi breathes out, a small smile making its way to his lips despite the fatigue weighing on his shoulders. "I appreciate it."

Atsuko lingers for a moment, seemingly debating with herself as the young man quietly takes a sip of the cool liquid. After a second's decision, she speaks up again, "My shift is just about over. If you won't mind, I can lend you my ear if there's anything you want to talk about."

"I'm fine," Akechi answers almost straight away out of pure instinct, and the guilt of lying weighs heavily on him.

The transfer student seems to believe the detective, as gullible as she always is, and she nods her head in understanding. When Akechi dismisses her as there's nothing else he wants to order, Atsuko excuses herself to head into the backroom so that she can change out of her uniform and head home. She passes by the young man's seat as she moves to approach the exit, flashing him a smile as she wishes him a good evening.

"Yukimura-san, wait—" Akechi doesn't know what's gotten into him as he hurriedly moves to grab the young woman's wrist to stop her from leaving. She looks at him, curious, and he swallows down his stubborn pride. He lets go of her, a sheepish-looking smile on his face as he asks, "Actually, do you have some time to spare for me?"

Atsuko doesn't answer straight away, instead taking out her phone and typing out what the detective can only guess is a text before proceeding to direct her attention back to him. "Now I do."

* * *

There's nothing but silence that hangs over the pair of students while walking side by side in Inokashira Park. Akechi had invited the transfer student, and she was more than happy to accept despite the travel distance. The two find a quiet spot away from everybody else in the park, and Atsuko sits down on a wooden post before Akechi joins her by her side.

The Detective Prince sees in the corner of his eyes that Atsuko has taken out her phone again, delicate fingers tapping on the screen with a troubled look on her face. She chews on her bottom lip, and Akechi feels compelled to apologize. "I'm sorry. Was I...bothering you with this?"

Atsuko is quick to shake her head from side-to-side. "No, not at all. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

An almost embarrassed look crosses over Akechi's face. "Um, not quite. I guess... I was feeling lonely and wanted some company. I apologize. I didn't mean to—"

"May I have your hand for a moment?"

"Huh?" Akechi blinks in surprise at the sudden interruption before processing the young woman's request. "Oh, uh, sure..."

Atsuko gently takes Akechi's warm hand with her soft one. The detective's eyes watch as the student's other hand traces repeated circles on the back of his hand with her fingertip. Her finger moves slowly but at a consistent pace. Akechi has to admit that it feels almost calming due to the subtle but constant presence of touch.

"Whenever I'm upset, I would trace circles on the back of my hand like this. Even though I know it's my own hand, if I close my eyes, I can pretend to myself that I'm not alone and that someone else is with me, reassuringly tracing circles on my skin," Atsuko explains, her gaze focused on the ministrations of her finger in an attempt to comfort her fellow classmate. "I'm sure it's ridiculous, but it helps me, and I wanted to give it a try and see if it might help you."

Akechi remains quiet. He wants to get angry at her and her foolishly naive nature. He wants to slap her hand away and yell at her that this jaded and broken world isn't the kind of world suited for someone as innocent as her. Somebody that isn't like him, and it frustrates him when he's reminded of his own ugliness settled deep in the recesses of his heart. It sickens him that there are people like her who remain oblivious to the cruel reality of this godforsaken society, living in their little world of happiness while not understanding the struggles he's had to face ever since his birth.

But when was the last time he had someone comfort him? When was the last time he felt this vulnerable? Angry? Relieved? He isn't even sure what he's supposed to be feeling anymore because his emotions are in turmoil at the fact that this one person who hasn't even known him for a whole month yet has given more attention and care to him than anybody else he's met.

Everywhere he goes, it's either disdain for being a bastard child or otherwise ignorant praise for the lie of a persona he's created for public view. But with Atsuko, it was genuine curiosity to get to know him. She didn't put him up on a pedestal nor looked down on him either. She merely wanted to know more about him and maybe even hoped to become friends at some point. And he wants that too. He craves for someone he can turn to in times like these and trust them with his secrets. He wants what others have.

"Thank you," Akechi finally forces the words out of his mouth. Seemingly satisfied with her work, Atsuko retracts her hands, and Akechi almost misses them. "And I'm sorry for having shown this side of me." His tone is light, and he even adds a small laugh at the end to make it seem like he isn't as bothered by this situation than he truly is.

"You don't have to apologize," Atsuko tells him, folding her hands on her lap as she shoots a reassuring smile his way. "We all have those moments. There's no need to apologize for something you haven't done wrong."

The transfer student then stands up from her spot while leaving her classmate to process her words. She rummages through her bag for a moment, taking out a slip of paper and pen, and she writes something on it. She holds it out for the young man to take, and when his eyes scan through the contents of the paper, he realizes that it's a phone number.

"I have to go soon, but feel free to call or text me at any time. You're busy with your detective work, but you can rely on me for any missed notes or assignments. And, of course, I'll always be there if you need someone to talk to."

Atsuko probably brought up the missed schoolwork so that Akechi could have a reason or excuse sort of thing to contact her if he ever felt like it. It seems like the only things that have left the detective's lips ever since spending time with the transfer student are words of gratitude. The young woman smiles once more, giving Akechi a short wave before excusing herself about needing to head back home.

Akechi watches the high school student trot away before flickering his gaze back to the slip of paper in his hand. He fishes out his cell phone from his pocket, ignoring the Nav app that remains obnoxious on his screen, and adds in Atsuko's contact information. He isn't even aware that he's smiling to himself as he stares at the displayed number, the weight on his shoulders having lightened up a bit. He can't help but wonder if it would be presumptuous of him to think that his bond with Atsuko has gotten a bit deeper after all of this.


End file.
